Method and apparatus for modifying an OEM fuel system for bi-fuel use

ABSTRACT

The present invention is a system and method for adapting and modifying an existing mono-fuel delivery system for an internal combustion engine to run as a bi-fuel system by reusing and repurposing OEM components of the mono-fuel system. The bi-fuel system makes use of an integration plate that may be mounted to the system fuel filter in substantially the same location as the fuel filter is mounted in the mono-fuel configuration. The integration plate also may deliver either fuel types into the existing engine fuel intake port thus the system does not require the creation of a secondary fuel intake port for the secondary fuel. The integration plate may also be situated such that it minimizes the space it must use within the engine compat anent and it may use the preexisting engine mounting points designed for the fuel filter in the mono-fuel system.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional application of, and claims priorityfrom, pending U.S. application Ser. No. 15/330,975, having a filing dateof Apr. 2, 2015, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/973,890 entitled “Plate for Integration ofBi-Fuel System” filed on Apr. 2, 2014. The contents of both of theseprior applications are incorporated by reference as if fully set forthherein.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to fuel delivery systems for internalcombustion engines and more particularly, fuel delivery systemsutilizing more than one type of fuel for internal combustion.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

A bi-fuel delivery system is understood to be any engine system that iscapable of operating on two different types of fuel. Conversion from amono-fuel system, such as a diesel fuel combustion engine commonly foundin heavy-duty trucks and buses sold by large-scale manufacturers of suchvehicles, to a bi-fuel system is advantageous because it typicallyresults in the reduction of total fuel costs and lower vehicleemissions. There are, however, several challenges to converting amono-fuel system into a bi-fuel system. In a standard, OEM configurationfuel system for an internal combustion engine, known in the art, thefuel systems are arranged for the use of only one type of fuel. Forproduction efficiency, the components of the standard fuel deliverysystem are not manufactured with any intention for the system to containor handle more than one type of fuel. Additionally, due to everincreasingly cramped engine compartments, retrofitting and adding new ormodified components to a fuel system has become increasinglychallenging. As a result, there is a need for reusing/repurposing asmany OEM components as possible to allow for the installation of abi-fuel delivery system on a cost-effective basis.

For compression ignition engines that are designed to run on dieselfuel, the fuel system generally has a diesel fuel tank, a fuel strainer,a fuel filter/water separator, and fuel lift pump that pressurizes thediesel fuel before it enters the engine via a fuel rail inlet port.These components are all designed without the intention to operate in abi-fuel system environment, and as the present invention shows, thesecomponents require substantial modification and repurposing to run inthe bi-fuel environment. One particular concern when adapting a systemto run in a bi-fuel environment is minimizing cross contamination of thefuels to maximize the efficiency of how each fuel burns in the engine.As a result, converting a mono-fuel system to a bi-fuel system requiressubstantial repurposing and custom modification in order for the systemto run in a fuel efficient manner.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention comprises a bi-fuel delivery system thatrepurposes existing OEM components of a mono-fuel delivery system inorder to minimize both cross contamination of fuel and engine spaceneeded for conversion. In particular, the system utilizes a specializedintegration plate that allows the existing engine fuel inlet port to berepurposed for bi-fuel delivery. Additionally, the present inventionrepurposes a fuel lift pump and fuel filter, where the fuel filter ismodified to run under vacuum pressure and is mounted to the integrationplate such that it is in substantially the same location as in its OEMconfiguration. Furthermore, the present invention minimizes the amountof shared fuel line due to the placement of the fuel selector valvewithin the system. Finally, the bi-fuel system of the present inventionhas the advantage of having a fuel pressure relief valve situated withinan integration plate that may be tied to the fuel selector valve inorder to maintain optimal operating pressure when either fuel source isin use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art fuel delivery system thatthe present invention improves upon.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the fueldelivery system of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of anintegration plate of the fuel system, taken along line 3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an angled view of an exemplary embodiment of an integrationplate of the fuel system.

FIG. 5 is a frontal view displaying the internal portions of anexemplary embodiment of an integration plate of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is schematic diagram of an alternative embodiment of a bi-fueldelivery system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description includes the best currentlycontemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of theinvention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, butis made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles ofthe invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by theclaims included herein.

In order to best understand the modifications and improvements made tocreate a bi-fuel delivery system, a detailed description of an existingmono-fuel delivery system is necessary. FIG. 1 depicts a standard dieselfuel delivery system that may consist of a diesel tank 10, a diesel fuelline 20, a fuel filter housing 30, a quick coupling 31, a meshstrainer/fuel heater 32, a manual pressure pump 33, a fuel regulationvalue 34, a fuel lift pump 40, a primary fuel filter/water separatorelement 35, a fuel inlet port 51, and an engine 50. In the mono-fuelsystem, the fuel lift pump 40 may create a negative pressure in thediesel fuel line 20 from the diesel fuel tank 10 to the fuel lift pump40, and a positive pressure from the fuel lift pump 40 to the engine 50.The diesel fuel may flow from the diesel tank 10 into the fuel filterhousing 30, through the quick coupling 31 then through the meshstrainer/fuel heater 32 and into the manual pressure pump 33. The manualpressure pump 33 may be used to prime the system if fuel system is notcurrently pressurized prior to operation of the system. The manualpressure pump 33 may be a hand pump such as a piston driven pump. Afterthe diesel fuel flows through the manual pressure pump 33, the dieselfuel may flow out of the fuel filter housing 30 and into the fuel liftpump 40. The fuel lift pump 40 may be powered by being connected to agearbox that is coupled with the camshaft or the gearshaft of the engine(not shown). In this configuration, the revolutions per minute (RPM) ofthe engine 50 determines the proportional speed that the fuel lift pump40 may pump the diesel fuel. From the fuel lift pump 40, the diesel fuelflow into the fuel filter housing 30, and into the primary fuelfilter/water separator element 35. The primary fuel filter/waterseparator element 35, may remove contaminates and water from the dieselfuel prior to entering the engine 50. After the diesel fuel is filtered,the diesel fuel enter the engine 50 via a fuel inlet port 51 and thenflows into the engine fuel rail, If the pressure of the fuel is beyond aset threshold, the diesel fuel may pass from the from the primary fuelfilter/water separator element 35 through a fuel regulation valve 34into the fuel filter housing 30 between the quick coupling 31 connectionand the mesh strainer 32. This mono-fuel system may also contain variouspressure check sensors and drain ports throughout the system.

FIG. 2 depicts an embodiment of the present invention where the standardmono-fuel system has been modified to work within a bi-fuel environment.In the modified configuration of a mono-fuel system converted to abi-fuel system, there may be a diesel tank 10, a diesel fuel line 20, afuel filter housing 30, a quick coupling 31, a mesh strainer/fuel heater32, a manual priming pump 33, a bypass plug 36, a filter outlet plug 37,a primary fuel filter/water separator element 35, a bypass outlet port38, a fuel selection value 60, a bio fuel line 71, a shared fuel line80, a fuel lift pump 40, an integration plate 90, a fuel inlet port 51,a fuel regulation valve 91, and an engine 50.

In one embodiment, the diesel tank 10 may be an OEM diesel tank designedto hold diesel fuel in a mono-fuel designed fuel system. The diesel fuelline 20 may be an OEM diesel fuel line designed for a mono-fuel system.The fuel filter system may consist of a fuel filter housing 30, quickcoupling 31, mesh strainer/fuel heater 32, manual priming pump 33,bypass plug 36, filter outlet plug 37, bypass outlet port 38, and aprimary fuel filter/water separator element 35. In one embodiment, thefuel filter system is a modified OEM component. The fuel filter systemmay be modified from its OEM configuration such that the fluid flow isredirected after the manual priming pump 33 by a bypass plug 36 andfluid is redirected through a bypass coupling into the primary fuelfilter/water separator element 35. In one embodiment the fuel filterbypass may be modified such that the fluid flows out of the fuel filtersystem from the OEM vacuum fluid outlet port, into the OEM pressurizedinlet port, through the filter media and out through a repurposed watervalve check port converted into a bypass outlet port 38. In oneembodiment, the fuel filter system may be modified such that the entiresystem operates under a negative pressure created by the fuel lift pump40. The OEM outlet port may be blocked by a plug 37. In one embodiment,the OEM outlet port may be blocked by the integration plate 90.

The fuel selection valve 60 may be connected to a diesel fuel line 20via an inlet to the diesel tank 61, a bio fuel line 70 via an inlet tothe bio fuel tank 62 and a shared fuel line 80 via an outlet 63 to theengine 50. The fuel selection valve 60 may be actuated by anelectronically controlled solenoid 64. The electronic control may beconnected to an ECU (not shown) that is programmed to monitor the engineand fuel conditions required to efficiently run either diesel fuel orbio fuel through the engine. The fuel selection valve 60 may either beopen to the diesel fuel line 20 or the bio fuel line 80 to allow eitherdiesel fuel or bio fuel to flow to the engine 50. In one embodiment, thefuel selection valve 60 is designed such that mixing of the differentfuel sources is minimized by rapidly switching the valve. In such anembodiment, only one fuel source is utilized by the engine at a time. Inone embodiment, the fuel selection valve 60 may also contain a bio fuelloop valve that allows bio fuel to flow back to the bio fuel tank 70when the fuel selection valve 60 is closed to bio fuel. The bio fuelline 71 may be pressurized by a fuel pump (not shown) that allows thebio fuel to flow in the closed loop when the fuel selection valve 60 isclosed to the bio fuel side of the system. This secondary fuel pump'sspeed may be set manually by a set-screw or may be electronicallycontrolled by an ECU.

The fuel lift pump 40 may be an OEM component designed to run in amono-fuel system. In one embodiment, the fuel lift pump 40 may bepowered by the engine via a gearbox (not shown) coupled to the flywheelof the engine and as a result the pumping speed of the fuel lift pump isdetermined by and proportional to the RPM's of the engine. In oneembodiment, the fuel lift pump 40 may be the primary means ofpressurizing the fuel system by creating a negative pressure on thediesel tank/bio fuel tank side and a positive pressure towards theengine. The fuel lift pump 40 may be connected to the shared fuel lines80 on both the negative and positive pressure sides of the pump. In thisembodiment, the fuel lift pump 40 may be exposed to both diesel fuel aswell as bio fuel. It is contemplated in alternative embodiments that thefuel lift pump 40 may be located prior to the fuel selector valve 60where the fuel lift pump 40 may only be exposed to one of the fuelsources.

In one embodiment, the integration plate 90 may be connected to the fuellift pump 40 via a shared fuel line 80. The integration plate 90 mayallow for the flow of fuel into the engine 50 using the OEM fuel intakeport 51. FIG. 3-5 provides a detailed view of one embodiment of anintegration plate 90 used in the present invention. The integrationplate have mounting holes 91 situated such that they line up with OEMmounting points 52 on the engine 50. In one embodiment, the mountingholes 91 line up with the mounting points 52 that are designed to beused with the OEM fuel filter housing 30. In this embodiment, theintegration plate 90 is adapted to provide mounting points for the OEMfuel filter housing 30. In one embodiment, the integration plate 90 ismounted between the engine 50 and the fuel filter housing 30 such thatthe fuel filter housing 30 is located in substantially the same locationas in the OEM configuration. In such an embodiment, the integrationplate 90 may fit flush to the fuel filter outlet 37 in order to blockthe passage of any fluid through the outlet. It is contemplated that thedesign of the integration plate 90 and location of the mounting points91 may vary by engine configuration. The asymmetrical design shown inFIG. 3-5 provides that the integration plate 90 conform to the enginefuel rail and remain as unobtrusive to the engine compartment aspossible. In one embodiment, a single set of bolts may be used to attachthe fuel filter housing 30 and the integration plate 90 to the engine 50by passing the bolts though the integration plate mounting points 91.

The integration plate 90 may have a shared fuel inlet 92 and a fuel exitport 93 which may be the final delivery port before the engine 50 isintroduced with either the primary or alternative fuels. In oneembodiment, the integration plate 90 may have a gasket gland 94 whichmay house an o-ring which may create a sealing surface against theengine fuel intake port 51. The gasket may vary extensively inalternative embodiments in make and shape as determined by the engineconfiguration. The gasket that is seated may create a face seal aroundthe engine fuel rain inlet port 51 which may prevent leakage of theprimary or alternative fuel. In an alternative embodiment, the fuel exitport 93 may be configured to screw into a threaded engine fuel intakeport 51 such that it forms a threaded coupling. The integration plate 90may also have relief port 95 that may house a regulation value 96. Theregulation valve 96 may have a cracking pressure set according to thespecifications of the engine being utilized in the system. In oneembodiment, if the fuel pressure is beyond the cracking pressure, theregulation valve 96 may open and allows fuel to flow to a fuelregulation port 65 in the fuel selector valve 60. The integration platemay be created out of a material that will be suitably non-reactive tothe alternative fuels that the integration plate may be exposed to, suchas aluminum and stainless steel.

FIG. 4 depicts an embodiment where the integration plate 90 may containa pressure sensor port 97. The pressure sensor 98 may allow for analysisand measurement of the fuel system pressure prior to the fuel enteringthe engine fuel rail. The pressure sensor port 97 may accommodate apressure sensor of an equivalent size of the port In alternativeembodiments, the pressure sensor port 97 may be absent or plugged withan equivalent sized sealing device. FIG. 5 depicts an internalperspective of the integration plate 90 that shows the passage wherefuel may flow from the integration plate inlet port 92 to the fuel exitport 93 or the fuel relief port 95.

FIG. 6 depicts a schematic of an alternative embodiment with theplacement of additional check valves, sensors, drain ports and testports. A strainer valve 101 may be connected before the mesh strainer/fel heater 32. There may be a first check valve 102 prior to the manualpriming pump 33 and a second check valve 103 between the manual primingpump 33 and the primary fuel filter/water separator element 35. Theprimary fuel filter/water separator element 35 may be connected to awater-in-filter sensor 104, and a water drain 105. An engine fuelpressure sensor 98 may be connected to the integration plate 90. An airbleed pressure test point 106 may be connected to the engine 50. In oneembodiment the air bleed pressure test point 106 may be a Schradervalve.

In one embodiment, the diesel fuel line 20 is under a negative pressurecreated by the fuel lift pump 40. If the fuel selector valve 60 is opento allow diesel fuel pass through the valve, then diesel fuel may flowfrom the diesel fuel tank 10 through the quick coupling 31 and into thefuel filter housing 30. In one embodiment, the diesel fuel may flowwithin the fuel filter housing 30 such that it passes through the meshstrainer/fuel heater 32, manual priming pump 33, and though a bypassrouted from the manual priming pump 33 through the primary filter/waterseparator element 35 and out of the fuel filter housing 30. In thisembodiment, the diesel fuel passes through the entire fuel filterhousing 30 while under a negative pressure created by the fuel lift pump40. After passing the through the fuel filter housing 30, the dieselfuel may pass though the fuel selector valve 60, so long as the valve isopen to allow diesel fuel to pass. After passing through the fuelselector valve 60, the diesel fuel may pass though the fuel lift pump 40and then may be pumped into the integration plate 90. The diesel fuelmay flow through the integration plate 90 through the integration plateinlet port 92, and may exit through the fuel outlet port 93 where thediesel fuel may then pass into the engine fuel inlet port 51 and intothe engine fuel rail.

In one embodiment, bio fuel is used if the fuel selector valve 60 isopen to the bio fuel side 63, and closed to the diesel side 61 and thebio fuel may flow toward the engine 50. The bio fuel system 70 mayconsist of a fuel tank, fuel heater, fuel pumps and other necessarycomponents to condition the bio fuel to be burned in the engine 50.These necessary conditions may be the reaching a given operatingtemperature of the engine, and reaching a threshold temperature of thebio fuel and/or maintaining a desired fuel pressure. In one embodiment,the bio fuel may flow to the fuel selector valve 60 via a bio fuel line71 and into the fuel lift pump 40 via a shared fuel line 80. The fuellift pump 40 may then pump the bio fuel into the integration plate 90via the inlet port 92. The bio fuel may then flow through theintegration plate 90 and out to the engine fuel intake port 51 via theintegration plate fuel exit port 93. If the pressure of the bio fuel istoo high, the fuel pressure regulation valve 96 may open and allow thebio fuel to pass back to the fuel selector valve 60 via a fuelregulation port 65.

While the principal embodiment of the present invention utilizes dieseland bio fuel as the two fuels, it should be understood the methodologyand inventive techniques utilized with the present invention could beused with alternative disparate fuel sources and different engine types,such as, but not limited to: gasoline, liquid natural gas, liquefiedpetroleum gas, straight vegetable oil, waste vegetable oil and othercommon fuels used in internal combustion engines.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates toexemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may bemade without departing from the sprit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

We claim:
 1. A fuel delivery system for an internal combustion enginewhere a plurality of fuels are optionally delivered to the enginecomprising: a fuel filter; a fuel lift pump coupled to the fuel filter,a fuel selector valve coupled to the fuel filter; and a fuel integrationplate coupled to the fuel filter wherein the fuel integration plate isadapted to enable the engine to accept a plurality of fuels.
 2. The fueldelivery system of claim 1, wherein the fuel filter is located in an OEMfuel filter position and the fuel lift pump is located in an OEM liftpump position and both the fuel filter and the lift pump are located intheir OEM positions after the fuel integration plate is installed. 3.The fuel delivery system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fuelscomprises an OEM recommended fuel and a secondary fuel.
 4. The fueldelivery system of claim 3, wherein the fuel integration plate iscoupled with a pressure relief valve in order to maintain optimaloperating pressure of the system while the engine operates on thesecondary fuel.
 5. The fuel delivery system of claim 3, wherein the fuellift pump is operable with only the OEM recommended fuel.
 6. The fueldelivery system of claim 1, wherein the fuel integration plate iscoupled to a fuel selector having a shared fuel line.
 7. The fueldelivery system of claim 1, wherein the internal combustion enginefurther comprises an OEM engine fuel intake port and the plurality offuels are delivered to the engine using the OEM engine fuel intake port.8. The fuel delivery system of claim 7, wherein the integration platefurther comprises a gasket gland to create a sealed connection with theOEM engine fuel intake port.
 9. The fuel delivery system of claim 1,wherein the integration plate fits flush to the fuel filter outlet toblock passage of any fuel through the outlet.
 10. The fuel deliverysystem of claim 1, wherein the engine further comprises a fuel railhaving an OEM shape and the integration plate conforms to the OEM shapeof the fuel rail.
 11. The fuel delivery system of claim 1, wherein thefuel integration plate further comprises a fuel exit port.
 12. The fueldelivery system of claim 11, wherein the fuel exit port is matinglyattached to an OEM engine fuel intake port.
 13. The fuel delivery systemof claim 1, wherein the fuel integration plate further comprises arelief port.
 14. The fuel delivery system of claim 13, wherein therelief port further comprises a regulation valve.
 15. The fuel deliverysystem of claim 14, wherein the regulation valve has a set crackingpressure
 16. The fuel delivery system of claim 1, wherein theintegration plate further comprises a pressure sensor port to measurefuel system pressure.